Film marking apparatus



c. A. HOXIE 1,859,091

FILM MARKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1929 Fig. I.

May 17, 1932.

2?) another film marker or markers Inventor Char-Les A. HoxLe; K

b5 I w HLs' Attorney.

Patented May 17, 19 32 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. HOXIE, OI ALPLAUS, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR .10 GENERAL ELECTRIC COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FILM MARKING APPARATUS Application filed September 20, 1929. Serial No. 394,128.

My invention relates to films of the strip or motion picture type which are adapted to have thereon a photographic record.

en a combined print is made of two or more motion picture negatives or a combined motion picture and sound record print is made from separate negatives it is desirable to be able to place the several negatives without difiiculty in the proper sequence and in the case of sound records or sound accompanied picture records to arrange the negatives in such a manner that perfect synchronis'm is obtained. One object of my invention is to provide an improved film marking apparatus by means of which a reference mark is made which one can discover not only by itsappearance but by the sense of touch. Another object of my invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for making a mark of that character which operates while the film is in motion and which produces but a single mark at each actuation of the apparatus.

y invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of an embodiment of my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of the same; and Fig. 4 shows a fragment of a film, greatly enlarged, having thereon one of the reference marks made by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose ofillustration I have shown at 1 a film of the strip or motion picture type having the usual sprocket tooth perforations 2 and adapted to have photographed thereon a picture record, a sound record or a combined picture and sound record. The marking apparatus now to be described preferably is arranged to engage the film at a point where it is suitably supported as for example by a roller or a sprocket. In the drawings I have shown it supported by the roller 3 the face of which .is shown provided with the annular recess 4 to receive the points of the perforating wheel 5. This wheel is suitably mounted for free rotation opposite that portion of the film on which the reference marks are to be made. In the form illustrated it has three equidistant points 6 adjacent each of which a small pin 7 projects laterally. Actuating lever 8 is pivoted at 9 and has the straight pin engaging face and the curved face 11. The lever is operated in one direction by the light spring 12 one end of which is fixed at 13. The wheel 5 normally is retained in the inoperative position illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 by the detent 15 which engages one of the pins 7. Opposite its pivot 16 the detent has the short arm 17 to which is attached the light spring 18. This armalso is engaged by the latch 20 which at its upper end is pivoted to the bell crank lever 21. To the lower end of latch 20 the retracting spring 22 is attached which spring is inclined so as to bias the latch 20 toward the guide pin 23. The edge of the latch which engages the guide pin is curved so as to limit the downward movement of the latch and when the latter is moved upwardly by the bell crank lever to give it also a lateral movement to cause it to slip off the arm 17 at the proper time. A suitable stop, not shown,-'1s provided to limit the movement of detent 15 under the influence of spring 18. On one arm of the bell crank lever 21 is the armature 25 of the electromagnet 26 whose circuit connections 27 are shown extending to the battery 28 and switch 29. Branch connections 30 may extend to another similar marker or markers where a plurality of films are to be marked simultaneously.

At each closing of the switch 29 the bell crank lever 21, latch 20 and detent 15 are operated to allow spring 12 to rotate the perforating wheel 5 sufficient to cause one of the points 6 to engage the moving film. The continued movement of the film causes-the point to dig in deeper as shown in Fig. 3 finally perforating the film. If desired the parts may be constructedand arranged so that an opening will not be made in the film but the film merely deformed. I prefer, however, to actually perforate the film. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a fragment of the film having the perforation 32 made by a wheel having pysisver subsequently rotating the wheel until the detent which by this time has returned stops the next pin. By this construction but one perforation is made for each operation of the controlling switch 29. Where several of these devices are connected in circuit with the same switch all are operated at the same instant. By successive operations ofthe switch any number of perforations may be made in a-series'which may be continuous or may be discontinuous to constitute apredesuccessive separate operation .of said device for causing one of said points to engage and perforate the film, and means for limiting the o eration of the wheel to a single perforatlon of the film in response to each separateoperation of said device.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th da of. Se tember 1929.

CHA LES I HoXIE.

termined code by which various portions of the film or films may be identified'for subsequentmatching, etc.

I have chosen the particular embodiment described above as illustrative of my invention and it will be apparent that various mod ifications'may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention which modifications I aim to cover by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentbf the United States, is

1. Apparatus for making a reference mark on a moving film comprising a wheel having a plurality of peripherally spaced perforating points arranged adj ace'nt the film,a member for retainin the points of said wheel out of contact w1th the film, means tending to rotate the wheel to cause a point thereof to engage the film, means for displacing said member from 'its retaining osition and means for returning said mem er to its retaining position priorto the engagement of the next point of the wheel with the film.

2. Apparatus for making a reference mark on a moving film, comprising a wheel having a plurality of points, a spring tending to rotate said wheel to cause a point to engage the film, a restraining device for said wheel, an

electromagnetic operating device and means operable at each actuation of said operating devlce for successively removing and returnmg the restraining device whereby one point only of the wheel engages the film in response to each operation of the electromagnetic device.

3. Apparatus for making a reference mark on a moving filmcomprising a wheel having a plurality of peripherally spaced erforatmg polnts thereon normally out o engagement with the film, an electromagnetic control device therefor, means responsive to each 

